Part 53 (1/2)

”No Sticks”

”Jemmy there, father? Ah, there you are! Co such a time”

Ram looked sharply fro particular on the way, but he said nothing

”Get it out of Jemmy,” he said to himself

”I'm ready, lad; I'm ready”

”Look sharp, boy,” said the faret the basket”

”Ay, do, boy And look here--never mind more to-day; but take double 'lowance to-o every day”

”Very well, father Look sharp, Jemmy!”

The boy ran back to the house, followed by his father, ent on netting, and a minute later Jemmy and Ram were off over the bare pastures in the direction froive to father, Jemmy?”

”Ay, lad, half full o' brambrys and masheroons Wondered whose it was

Gaffer says it's little ht Raan whistling, quite content, as they andering about , till, apparently tired, they sat down close to the ood ten minutes before he said, ”_Now_”

Then the pair rolled over to left and right, down into the hole, and descended quickly to the bottoe, took a lanthorn fro of flint and steel, a faint blue light, and the snap of the closing lanthorn as the dark passage showed a yello

Meanwhile Ra bare a trap-door upon which were a big wooden lock and a couple of bolts

These he unfastened, threw open the door, and descended with his basket; while, after handing down the lanthorn into the black well-like hole, Jeain to the surface and stood with his eyes just above the level, sheltered by blackberry strands and other growth, and slowly made his eyes revolve; till, at the end of half an hour, Ra the door went on, while Jeh whose crevices ca-place; and then the pair departed as cautiously as they carowled Jerumpy, and wouldn't answer a civil question”

”Should ha' kicked him,” said Jemmy

Very little more was said till they reached home, and Ra that he could help thehis father into trouble

He was thinking how horribly dark and miserable the old quarry ht had not occurred to hi so familiar, from the fact that scores of times he had held the lanthorn while his father's e, if there was plenty of tier near, the things were often carried up to the Hoze for tes into the interior

”I do wish he'd be friends,” thought Ra,--

”Ah, there's that basket Jemmy found's o to-night, need he?” said Mrs Shackle

”You mind your own business,” said the farmer fiercely ”Be off, boy”

Ram put on his red cap, took the basket, and trotted off toward the Hoze, while Mrs Shackle sighed, for she knew that so particular must be on the way, or Ram would not have been sent off, and her husband have prepared to go out directly after